Cupcakes: Truth Revealed

by mcb893

5: The Number System

"We've confirmed the pony that you have described to us is indeed the infamous cupcake killer. His real name is unknown, but his legend has been spread all throughout Equestria. Many thought he was just a myth for the first couple of years, but once disappearances started occurring through various towns, the Princess ordered a special task force to look into it. A mountain of evidence has been found, but nopony who can be blamed for them. Pinkie... If you don't tell us everything, YOU will be blamed for all the murders this psychopath committed for over 45 years." The interrogator said. Pinkie shook her head. She looked down to the straps of leather that was starting to cause her forelegs severe discomfort. It burned, and made her legs very sweaty.

"I'm telling you everything you want to hear... What more do you want? I am guilty of killing them..." She asks as she looks back up to the interrogation box. One interrogator grows angry and slams something down on what looks like a desk.

"PINKIE! STOP GIVING US THIS FREAKING GUILT SHOW! WE KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE THIS FREAK SHOW IS! TELL US AND WE CAN GET YOU OUT OF THIS! STOP SCREWING AROUND WITH OUR TIME!" Pinkie grew angry and shouted back;

"WHAT TIME? WHO THE HECK ARE YOU ANYWAY?" The one interrogator looks like he's about to start screaming again, but the other holds out his hoof, and tells him to quiet down. The interrogator tells Pinkie to relax as well, and she looks away, still angry at the one interrogator for shouting at her like that.

"Pinkie, ponies in town report at least one disappearance per month, all on Tuesdays. But we have three recorded days on which somepony went missing on a Thursday, as well as Rainbow's most recent one, which was Wednesday. Can you explain this?" The interrogator asked. Pinkie looked down, sighing. Yeah, she could explain it, but it was so difficult, how would she explain it? Well, she had to try. Right?

16Months Ago...

"Great work Pinkie, you've managed to kill 12 ponies now, I'm very proud. I'd say you can start killing and getting me my special ingredient on your own!" The stallion said with pride in his voice. Pinkie gave her most convincing smile she could, but inside, she felt like a monster. 12? She was no better than he was... Even if she wasn't doing this voluntarily. A monster... No... That was too kind... A demon. Yeah, that's what she was. She knew it. She sighed as the stallion started talking about a numbers system, where each pony (or anyone else who lived in a town) was given a number. If their number came up, they were the next victim. It was like a lottery you didn't want to win. Course, they would never get the chance to know. This made it seem even more unfair. Pinkie sighed, this was out of control. Why did she have to be the one to get into this mess?

"Now, let's begin assigning numbers." He says with a giddy attitude. Pinkie watches as a screen begins to flash various ponies at lighting speed. It assigns each one a random number, and then moves on. Each pony takes less than half of a second. Still, seeing them all makes it feel like an eternity to Pinkie. What she wouldn't give to be locked in a mental asylum right now. After a few minutes, all the ponies in town had been numbered, all 1,687 of them. Ponyville was a relatively small town compared to major cities like Seaddle and Mareami, but it still had plenty of ponies. The stallion chuckled, and looked over to her.

"Now, let's see who the first victim of the number system will be." He says as he presses a button on the machine. The screen begins to randomly blink numbers, with the first three numbers representing their particular pony race, the second three being their place of birth, and the third being random, corresponding to the particular pony. The first three numbers are 423, the ones for a pegasus. The next three numbers come up as 196, the numbers that represent Cloudsdale. Pinkie grew nervous. She only knew a few ponies from Cloudsdale, Rainbow and Fluttershy being among them. She couldn't bear killing one of them. Finally, the last three numbers appear, and Pinkie stops breathing for a moment. The numbers are 754... Dashie's number...

"Rainbow Dash, let's get everything ready."

"Wait!" Pinkie shouts. No, she wouldn't let Rainbow die this way. She had to think of something, what could get her off the hook? Or rather, the edge of the sword?

"What?" The stallion says with an irritated tone. Pinkie pauses for a moment, but instantly comes up with the perfect cover up.

"Rainbow Dash is moving away tomorrow, we can't be ready by then, we have to choose somepony else." She says, and puts on a frown. She had to convince him this was something she was upset about, otherwise he would know she was lying. Pinkie begged in her head for him to buy it. Just let him believe her.

"Hmm... Well that is a bit of bad luck... Let's run it again, see who else comes up." He slowly walked over to the machine, and held his hoof above the button, seeming to hesitate a moment. Pinkie holds her breath, urging in her mind for him to press the button. He holds his hoof above the button for a good twenty seconds, and pushes down. The screen begins to flash new numbers as Pinkie lets out a sigh of relief. She allows herself a small smile. She had just saved Dashie's life.